Carpenter’s three dingers actually extended his fence-clearing frenzy to four big flies in four at-bats, dating back to his final at-bat of the team’s previous tournament game, NHBA Manager Jim Lawson said.
Carpenter’s postgame comments were about as succinct as his swing, as the 13-year-old first baseman shrugged and giggled more than bragged.
“They were all fastballs,” Carpenter finally volunteered, after nodding affirmatively when asked if this was the first three-homer game of his baseball career.
There was plenty to brag about for the winners, who bashed six home runs in the cozy confines of one of three fields wedged into the park layout upon which pitchers might have negotiated for just two.
And while Carpenter took advantage of the 236-foot alley in left-center field, his launch sequence also targeted right-center and straight-away center, producing a hitting chart that featured a prolific pitchfork design that should scare future foes.
Carpenter’s first round-tripper was the fourth of six straight hits to open the bottom of the first inning, as Newport Harbor assumed a 5-0 lead after one inning.
Carpenter’s two-run blast in the third triggered another five-run frame, which included a three-run tater by A.J. Sweis.
Carpenter’s third long ball was the second of back-to-back-to-back jacks that began with Andrew McCormack lining the ball over the fence in left and ended with Aaron White bonking one off the scoreboard beyond the barrier in left-center.
